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importance.
He also himself stated that the question of land police was quite as important as that of the waterways, and that he was taking that part of the matter in hand seriously.
Large rewards were offered, he said, for the arrest of certain known piratical leaders, and he enlarged on the difficulty of making arrests, caused by the proximity of Hong-kong and Macao.
He fully acknowledged the facilities and assistance granted by Hongkong for the arrest and extradition of criminals, but dilated on the difficulties he experienced in obtaining extradition from Macao.
He said that among others of these the Portuguese demanded a minimum of sight witnesses to attend and prove the crime, remarking that in many cases it was impossible to find so large a number.
I promised to give the matter my consideration and advise him as to the best course to pursue.
I also gave him an assurance that the Hongkong Government would be most willing to give him every assistance possible to carry out the work now taken in hand.
I further told him that, if he succeeded